Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone "completely agrees" with Russia president Vladimir Putin's policy towards homosexuality and believes "90% of the world" do as well.
Ecclestone, who won a High Court battle with German media company Constantin Medien on Thursday, aired his support for Putin's government's anti-gay legislation which prohibits spreading so-called "gay" propaganda to minors.
Recently introduced, it has prompted outrage around the world before - and during - the Sochi Winter Olympics.
But Ecclestone told CNN: "He [Putin] hasn't said he doesn't agree [with homosexuality] just that he doesn't want these things publicised to an audience under the age of 18. I completely agree with those sentiments and if you took a world census you'd find 90% of the world agree with it as well.”
Ecclestone, 83, added: "I've great admiration for him and his courage to say what he says…[It] may upset a few people but that's how the world is. It's how he sees [the world] and I think he's completely right."
Ecclestone and Putin
The F1 boss is not stranger to controversy. A couple of years ago at the Bahrain GP, whilst pro-democracy protests were being staged (and still are), Ecclestone told reporters who questioned whether or not a GP should be held: "Go to Syria and write about those things there because it's more important than here."
Formula 1 will host its first Russian Grand Prix at Sochi in October.